Teller's, Lawrence, Kansas

Although it's the most gay-friendly city in Kansas and one of the hippest and most progressive college towns around, Lawrence doesn't have an official gay bar. However, the handsomely furnished bar and restaurant Teller's (746 Massachusetts St., 785-843-4111), which occupies a vintage bank building with high ceilings and soaring arched windows, has long had a following with the city's gay community. Teller's is also a nice dinner or lunch option, its kitchen turning out superb contemporary American fare (great brunches, too).

As a nightlife option, Teller's has plenty going on from early evening onward. The bar has a sizable wine list, and you can sample different vintages by ordering one of the wine flights. There's seating on the sidewalk, so on warm days it's a perfect spot to sip wine or cocktails and enjoy the great people watching along downtown Lawrence's main drag, Massachusetts Street - Teller's is on the north end of the strip, close to a movie theater and within walking distance of dozens of other lively cafes and shops. Dinner is served until 10 or 11 most nights, but the bar stays open later and draws considerably more crowds into the late-night hours. Serious fans of gay nightlife will want to make the 40-minute drive west to Kansas City, or in a pinch, there's a friendly gay neighborhood bar about a 20-minute east in Topeka. But if you're looking to hang out in Lawrence, this is a reliable, hip, and lively bet.